CTC Forum - Touring & Expedition

Hello !I'm happy to to present another compilation / best of video about another great bicycletour in the French Alps with several legendary climbs, ascents. The tour happaned in the year 2011.After the first 2 days (in Italy ) I cycled in France and visited famous, Tour de France cols, climbs, like Bonette (2802 m), Col d'Izoard (2360 m), Alpe d'Huez, Col du Galibier (2645 m), Col de l'Iseran (2770 m), but few hardly known ones, like Parking du Laus, Le Saut, Plan de Lac (2360 m) - one of my favourite. On the climb of Col de la Lombarde I saw chamois, unfortunately only for few seconds, but in the year 2014 on a hardly known italian ascent (will be presented in few weeks time ) offered me the opportunity to record 2 chamoises for video for ca. 1 min long. At La Bonette (2802 m) I got the best amazing weather that I could: sunshine with very small clouds, cumuluses.

my Mares is running a 50/34 compact with (currently) an 11-32 cassette. I live in Sheffield and to get my shopping home is a 2 mile climb that in places gets close to 15% the shopping can easily see a load of 20kg making its way uphill. My full on camping gear is 12kg so I can't see any issue unless it gets to 20% or steeper (which doesn't mean I won't fit something different if I take it to the Alps) but for terrain up to and including the Peak District it offers gearing to spare for a reasonably fit rider.

A full on CX bike will generally run 46/36 with 11-28 or tighter cassette.

Hiya, I'm currently pedalling from Nordkapp to Tarifa. Flew to Honningsvag with my bike, stayed at a good hostel there (Vandrerhjem), pedalled up to Nordkapp and now going South. Tonight I'm at a campsite in Kautokeino. Stunning scenery, if a little chilly but fine if you have the right kit, will be warmer in June. Cross into Finland tomorrow, then down into Sweden. Intend to wild camp a bit to save some cash (Scandinavia is expensive), however did rent cabin in Karasjok last night which was toasty. Using a Whisperlite stove - can get fuel at petrol stations. I'm blogging my trip here: www.selfpropelled.life

As usual watch out for the headwinds, can be pretty harsh up here. Cheers, James

I have a Croix de Fer 2014 (between CX and general purpose ?) which I day ride round flatlandia. And I think about going touring on it (probably for an entire spring/summer round Europe). And I think I would need different gearing. And I then wonder about the costs for changes vs the cost of a decent touring bike and whilst there is a difference, I wonder about how worthwhile changing it into a tourer (for me) would be. It's great around the rural lanes for my current use and have no regrets buying it. But I wonder if I'd take it touring without some significant expenditure. I am not experienced and have not taken it touring, so I am basing my thoughts on my own touring needs on the fact that even here in East Anglia with a single 5Kg load single pannier I do sometimes use the lowest gear and I think that given more luggage with hillier terrain the bike's lowest gear might not be enough (and it would be a get off and push ...)

ps. I's size 9 footwear and with a standard Tubus rack and Ortileb back roller panniers I have no issues with clearance.

But I'm not experienced enough to provide advice on this, just my limited thoughts/limited experiences.

I'm doing Rotterdam to Esbjerg this summer - I've got maps and guides that take me to the top of Denmark and can't imagine why anyone would need GPS, its well signposted and pretty obvious. GPS can be useful but in this case its pretty pointless! Bikeline actually do the Danish book in English so there's really no excuse to get lost.

I did this last year. After exiting the airport I cycled 10km along the SS14 and exited at Portegrandi to take the smaller road to Jesolo. It was ok. It may be just me but I've found some italian SS roads very civilised, and even pleasant, compared to the UK. It would have probably been nicer to take the water bus to Punta Sabbioni and start from there, but I've no idea whether they take bikes. The roads from Jesolo onwards are pretty quiet country lanes. I had to take the SS14 again between Latisana and Cervignano del Friuli - I don't think there is another way. The best bit of that coastal road is the last 20km or so into Trieste, which again is the SS14, popular with cyclists. Though the SP1 road that goes parallel to it higher up is also nice and possibly quieter - it passes the village of Prosecco (I took this road on the way back).

SastusBulbas wrote:I never updated this, but ended up with Ortlieb Back Roller Plus QL2 and front Roller Plus.

They have been fine, not as stiff and secure feeling as the old Vaude clip felt, but the lower hook is fine and nothing has fell off, they look better and seem a bit lighter, pockets inside too. Though I am sure my Vaude was larger.Must be your imagination! The Vaude bags actually are smaller (rear 20l), not having as much 'extra' as the Ortliebs (rear 20l + 5l extra) at the top due to their closure method.

I bought a Focus Mares AX as a touring bike (Its their aluminium CX frame) - it came with discs, mudguards and a dyno hub so I'm guessing the good ole Germans intended it as a tourer/commuter rather than a CX specific bike.

As an aside, Tricross and Crossrip bikes are intended as touring steeds and are definitely not CX machines, both Trek and Specialized have other models for that use.

cheers Lads ,yeah the spa tourer looks great i might look a bit deeper into this as long as i can just buy the frameset i probably have enough spares to build it up.yeah gonna pop over to the spa site now have a gander.cheers lads.

Does anyone have any further tips on this topic? I am landing in Marco Polo airport, and rather than heading North, would like to get to a good point to start cycling round the coastline towards Slovenia. I would ideally like to start at Punta Sabbioni to cycle to Jesolo along the sea front to Jesolo and on from there and so wondered if anyone know if it is ok to put bikes on the waterbus from the airport going down to Punta Sabbioni.

Failing that, I am looking for a nice cycle out from the airport to get started on the Adriatic route without too much time on the SS14 (unless this isn't too bad? as looks like wouldnt have to be on it for long).

pwa wrote:Jags, I have a Thorn Club Tour (now about 10 years old) and it was a good buy. A proper tourer. But if I were buying now I might save some dosh and buy a Spa steel tourer, with similar spec at a lower cost. Thorns just cost a bit too much.

I recently bought a Tour de Fer (touring-specific variant of a Croix d F apparently). First proper tourer I've had in 20 years. Fully equipped with low gears, bar ends, disc brakes, and very comfortable, but a lot heavier than the Tricross.

Jags, I have a Thorn Club Tour (now about 10 years old) and it was a good buy. A proper tourer. But if I were buying now I might save some dosh and buy a Spa steel tourer, with similar spec at a lower cost. Thorns just cost a bit too much.

jags wrote:im after a thorn club tour but there expensive ,bob jackson frames a lovely as well but i think i'de rather have the thorn.seen a dawes galaxy on CR not a bad loking bike for 650 euro.i have a new Terry Dolan letape cracking bike but no good for touring ah i think i'll hang on until i can afford a good touring frame set built it up over time.thanks lads

jags.

Can't argue with that. I was in the same boat and floundered about with a couple of "ok for now" bikes but in hindsight totally unsuitable. I finally managed to cobble together a Surly DT at the end of last year and it has been an epiphany. Loads of bikes crop up on here, but I would check it fits. This is the first bike I've had that truly fits and I'm staggered at the difference to my comfort it makes. Did I say I'm totally chuffed with my Surly? [emoji38]

im after a thorn club tour but there expensive ,bob jackson frames a lovely as well but i think i'de rather have the thorn.seen a dawes galaxy on CR not a bad loking bike for 650 euro.i have a new Terry Dolan letape cracking bike but no good for touring ah i think i'll hang on until i can afford a good touring frame set built it up over time.thanks lads